Akarana
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Akarana sailing off North Head
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| History | |
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| Name: | Akarana |
| Builder: | Robert Logan Senior |
| Laid down: | 1888 |
| Launched: | 5 October 1888 |
| Maiden voyage: | 1888 |
| Status: | Preserved at the Australian National Maritime Museum |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | cutter |
| Displacement: | 9.35 tonnes |
| Length: | |
| Beam: | 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) |
| Draught: | 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) |
| Sail plan: |
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| Build: | Three layers of kauri planking on the hull. wooden frames. Oregon spars. |
Akarana is a racing yacht which was built in Auckland, New Zealand in 1888 by Robert Logan (Senior) to represent that country in the Australian Centennial Regatta held on Hobson's Bay, Victoria. She was restored as New Zealand's bicentenary gift to Australia and is today currently the oldest vessel in the collection of the Australian National Maritime Museum.
"Akarana" is the Maori name for Auckland, presented with the burgee of the Auckland.
Akarana was designed and built by Robert Logan (Senior) as a spec project with the hope of successfully completing in the Australian Centennial Regatta which was being held over the summer of 1888-1889. The boat building market in New Zealand was in a downturn as the country was in the grip of a depression, and Logan hoped that success in completion would not only allow him to sell her in Australia, but would also lead to commissions from that country.
Akarana was launched at North Shore, Auckland, on 5 October 1888.
The day after being launched, Akarana, accompanied by Robert Logan, his skipper Jack Bell, and crew, was shipped on the SS Nemesis to Melbourne. Other New Zealand yachts had previously fared well in competition on Hobson's Bay, and Akarana's arrival created great interest in yachting circles. The first race which took place in Hobson's Bay was for the St. Kilda Yacht Club medal, which she won. Logan had designed Akarana to complete in the five-ton race. However the organising regatta's committee rated her at seven tons with a five-ton (5.1 tonne) lead keel. As a result, Akarana then completed in the first day's racing of the Australian Centennial Regatta in the 5-10 ton class race for keel and centreboard yachts. This race she won, beating the yachts Cooeeana, Madge, Galatea and Pert.
On the next day's racing, in the race for yachts with a waterline length of 20 to 30 feet (6.1 to 9.1 m), she was defeated by Galatea. As Assegai, which was also entered in this race, did not reach Melbourne from Sydney in time to compete because of heavy weather, a prize was offered by Sir W. Clark for a race for similar yachts; Galatea won again, with Akarana fourth behind Assegai and Madge in deteriorating conditions.
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Wikipedia